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If you suffer from a fatty liver there's a few things you should know about using a fatty liver diet as a way to reduce liver fat and improve liver health.
Fatty liver diets should not be thought of as an all-in-one solution to fatty liver disease.
If you've been diagnosed with FLD and are now wondering what foods you can eat, then keep in mind the answer may depend on other factors and conditions. For example:
1.) Is your FLD alcoholic (AFL) or non-alcoholic (NAFLD)?
2.) Are you overweight and/or obese?
3.) Are other medical conditions contributing to the fatty liver symptoms you're experiencing? These might include things like diabetes mellitus (type II diabetes), hypertension, or metabolic disorders.
4.) Do you have any food allergies that may limit what you can eat?
Answers to these questions can help identify the right solution to your own particular problem. With that being said, there are a few commonalities to consider when selecting a diet plan for fatty liver.
Diet and exercise aimed at weight reduction have been proven time and time again as the most effective treatment for reducing fat in the liver. This is true for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver patients. The main difference is patients with AFL must have much stricter regulations on alcohol consumption than those with NAFLD.
A main cause of fatty liver disease is eating a diet consisting of high fat foods. Therefore, these foods, particularly those high in saturated fats, should be greatly reduced.
It is recommended for fats to make up no more than 30% of the daily caloric intake for FLD patients. Overall calories should also be reduced to the 1200 to 1500 per day range.
The good news is you won't have to completely give up a lot of the foods you love.
You'll just have to become more conscious of exactly what you're eating and how much of it. Balance, moderation, and regulation are the key. There are plenty of delicious fatty liver diet recipes out there if you know where to look.
Along with reducing fatty foods, increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables. Of course this doesn't mean making yourself a salad and then topping it off with a gallon of salad dressing.
Salad dressings and other high fat condiments should be used sparingly. There are always low-fat and non-fat alternatives.
The best liver friendly fruits and vegetables are greens, leaves, legumes, and fruits high in vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables are often rich in antioxidants which protect and repair hepatocytes (liver cells) and are also rich in folate (folic acid).
